Asbabu n-Nuzuul (Occasions of Revelation)

Tafseer (English)

i.e. their leaders and masters, those who were arrogant, will say to them:

... أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَى بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءكُم ...

Did we keep you back from guidance after it had come to you?

meaning, `we did nothing more to you than to call you, and you followed us without any evidence or proof, and you went against the evidence and proof which the Messengers brought because of your own desires; it was your own choice.'

meaning, `you used to plot against us night and day, tempting us with promises and false hopes, and telling us that we were truly guided and that we were following something, but all of that was falsehood and manifest lies.'

Qatadah and Ibn Zayd said: بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ (Nay, but it was your plotting by night and day), means,